Office of the Historian

793.94/11940: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson) at Hankow

Washington, January 7, 1938—7 p.m.

7. Department’s 4, January 4, 3 p.m., in reply to Shanghai’s 3, January 2, noon.33

Supplement: It is highly important that, in responding to requests from Japanese or Chinese authorities for information of the character under reference34 with such information, there be communicated expressly the specification that, in giving such information, the American Government or its agent does so only for the purpose of contributing toward the safeguarding of American life and property; and that this Government’s general position in regard to the hostilities and its reservation of rights in regard to destruction of American life or property which may arise from the hostilities will in no way be altered or modified by the fact of its having given or not having given such information regarding the location of American nationals, property, institutions, etc.

Hull
  1. Neither printed.↩
  2. i. e., information concerning the location of American property within or near the zone of present hostilities.↩